Airborne Data Acquisition: New and Emerging Technologies

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Airborne Data Acquisition New and Emerging
Technologies

• 2008 NSGIC Midyear Conference
• Annapolis, MD March 9-12, 2008

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Large-Format Frame Digital Cameras
Craig Molander, Surdex Corporation
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Large-Format Frame Digital Cameras

• 40 in North America today
• Predominant systems Intergraph DMC and
  Vexcel/Microsoft UltraCam
• Frame format analogous to traditional film
  cameras (13K pixels wide)
• Large-format 10K pixels or more wide

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DMC in Aircraft200 lbs More Weight Than Film
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Large-Format Frame Digital Cameras

• Simultaneous multispectral
• 12 bits/pixel dynamic range
• Extensive post-processing options
• 1M each 2-3X film cameras!

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3 Resolution More Common for Urban Areas
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General

• Cost-driven system design factors
• Generally rectangular format approximately same
  width as film system of similar resolution
• Most employ pan-sharpening panchromatic at
  higher resolution, color/MSI at lower resolution

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Panchromatic, Color, CIRSimultaneously
Direction of Flight
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Pan-Sharpening Steps
Panchromatic Image
Up-Sampled Color Image
Fused Color Image
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Rectangular Format

• Generally 50-60 shorter (along track) than wider
  (cross-track)
• 1.5-2X more exposuresslightly raising production
  costs
• Less lean downtrackimproved orthos

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Advantages

• Frame geometry can use existing
  processing/exploitation software
• Any resolution 1.5 to 1 meter
• Fewer images than small-format
• Not totally dependent on ABGPS/IMU

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RFP Considerations

• Limit pan-sharpening ratio to maximum 51
  (colorpan)
• Restrict acquisition to ltGSD 5 (limit flight
  altitude)
• Suggest 4-band and/or color/CIR as deliverables

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Small Format Cameras Oblique Imagery
Bob Williams, Sanborn Map Company
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Oblique Imagery Advantages

• 3D yields more information than 2D imagery
• Obliques obtained with same flight mission
• Building Data Sets textures or skins
• 911 dispatch advising first responders
• Building entrance exits
• Accomplish height vertical measurements
• IAAO as adopted oblique standards for appraisal

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Down Camera
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Back Camera
192Feet
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Back Camera
Surface Area 6,512 Square feet
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3D Building and Terrain Models
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3D Buildings with skins
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Small Format Camera Disadvantages

• Most Cameras are not certified by USGS
• 8X to 10x more frames for processing
• Different flight objectives
• Leaf free season is often ignored
• DEM extraction is more difficult
• Super-wide focal lengths
• Poor base to height ratio excessive building
  lean

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8x to 10x more frames for processing

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Images per sq. mile
18 Images per sq. mile


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Different flight procedures objectives
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Questions to Ask?

• What accuracy standard will be achieved?
• Is the product seamless or individual frames?
• What is the source of DEM generation or update?
• Is the camera certified?
• Is a CP, LS or PE involved?
• Similar but different objectives

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Pushbroom Digital Cameras
Dave White, Fugro EarthData
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ADS40 (2nd Generation) Push-broom Technology
Push-Broom Concept

• Acquires continuous strips of imagery along
  flight line
• 5 spectral bands acquired concurrently (R, G, B,
  NIR, PAN)
• 12-bit imagery
• Single lens and same ground sample distance for
  all 5 bands, eliminating the need for pan
  sharpening
• RGB and IR at nadir (no band separation)

Push-broom system
Frame-based system
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Multiple Map Products

• Natural color and color-infrared orthoimages from
  1-meter to 2-inch pixel resolution (1"1,000' to
  1"25' scale) to NMAS and ASPRS standards
• Ground- or true-orthoimage generation
• DEM or DSM data
• CIR and True Color data processed together
  reducing production cost
• Color, CIR, and panchromatic stereo pair
  generation
• 4-band TIFF ortho image

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True Ortho vs. Ground Ortho

• 1-foot TrueOrtho

• Ground 1-foot orthophoto

Courtesy ISTAR S.A
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Other ADS40 Derived Products

• Planimetric Mapping
• Creation or updating of planimetric features
• Buildings
• Hydro network
• Impervious surfaces (roads, parkings, driveways,
  etc.)
• 3D photogrammetric mapping
• 2D heads-up digitizing
• All CADD and GIS formats supported

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Other ADS40 Derived Products

• Topographic Mapping
• Auto-correlated DSM / DEM
• Photogrammetrically-derived DTM
• 1' to 10' contours
• 3D stereo-compilation of breaklines and mass
  points

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Other ADS40 Derived Products

• 3D City Models
• Fully detailed 3D building models
• 3D visualization and simulation
• Emergency preparedness

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Other ADS40 Derived Products

• Image Classification Thematic Mapping
• Automated classification
• Land-use/land-cover
• Benthic habitats (SAV)
• Wetland delineation

ADS40 1m CIR
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Advantages of ADS40

• Summary
• Excellent image quality and accuracy
• Highly automated process for fast turnaround
• Multiple products for diverse applications
• DSM and DEM
• Ground- and True-Orthoimages
• Perfectly co-registered natural color and
  color-infrared orthos
• Planimetric and topographic mapping
• Land use / land cover
• Cost-effective production

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LiDAR and Other Imagery SensorsJay Arnold,
3001
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Airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR)

• Airborne LiDAR includes topographic, bathymetric
  (and atmospheric)
• Approximately 50 topo systems and 4 hydro systems
  in service in North America
• Systems have matured over the past decade
• Typical system costs gt 1M
• Hydro/bathy can be gt 5M
• Some topo systems lt 500K

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Common LiDAR Sensors

• Optech (www.optech.ca)
• 3100EA
• Max 100 kHz
• Altitude max 3,500 m
• Up to 4 returns
• Z accuracy 5-20 cm
• ALTM Gemini with Multipulse
• Max 167 kHz
• Altitude max 4,000 m
• Up to 4 returns
• Z accuracy 5-10 cm

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Common LiDAR Sensors

• Leica Geosystems (www.leicageosystems.com
• ALS40
• Max 15kHz, then max 58kHz
• Altitude max 6,000 m (2500 m)
• 2 returns, then up to 3 returns
• Z accuracy 15-30 cm
• ALS50 Phase II w/ Multipulse
• Max 150 kHz
• Altitude max 6,000 m
• Up to 4 returns
• Z accuracy 8-24 cm

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Common LiDAR Sensors

• Riegl (www.riegl.com)
• LMS Q560
• Max 240 kHz (160 kHz mean measurement) rotating
  mirror
• Altitude 450m 1,000 m typical
• Full waveform return
• Z accuracy 20mm (qualified)

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Common LIDAR Sensors

• Optech/USACE CHARTS/SHOALS (http//shoals.sam.usac
  e.army.mil/)
• JALBTCX CHARTS
• Integrates
• Optech SHOALS (Bathy and Topo)
• ITRES CASI 1500 Hyperspectral
• DuncanTech 4000 Digital Camera

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CHARTS sensor suite
Optech SHOALS-3000 Integrated Laser System
DuncanTech-4000 RGB camera
Itres CASI-1500 Hyperspectral Imager
SHOALS-3000 Operator Console
CASI-1500 Operator Console
Bottom Aircraft Port
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SHOALS-3000

• Laser pulse rate
• 3 kHz hydro
• 20 kHz topo
• Laser spot spacing
• 2 5 m hydro
• 1 2 m topo
• Elevation accuracy
• 30 cm at 95 hydro
• 15 cm at 95 topo
• Flight altitude
• 300 400 m hydro
• 300 1200 m topo
• Flight speed
• 135-165 knots
• RGB images
• Georeferenced
• 1 Hz, 60 alongtrack overlap
• 20 50 cm pixel resolution
• jpg format

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USACE Coastal Mapping
(1,000 m)..Hydro Topo(500 m)
Hydro waterline to 1,000 m _at_ 4 m spacing Topo
waterline to 500 m _at_ 1 m spacing Imagery _at_ 20 cm
resolution Hyperspectral - TBD
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Common LiDAR Sensors

• Airborne Hydrography AB (AHAB) Hawk Eye II
  (www.airbornehydro.com)
• Hydro (bathy), Topo, Imagery simultaneously (same
  flight)

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LiDAR Flight Planning
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Example Flight Path
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Data Density

• 1 m topo LiDAR product provides 25x more surface
  detail than a 5 m LiDAR product but also requires
  much more storage
• Next slide illustrates the difference in detail
  between 5 m and 1 m LiDAR models

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5 m Bare-Earth LiDAR Model
5 m Bare-Earth LiDAR Terrain Model
1 m Bare-Earth LiDAR Terrain Model
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LiDAR Real Life Applications

• Redefining flood plains

Q3 Flood Plain
LIDAR Flood Plain
Additional homes in the flood plain
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LiDAR Real Life Applications

• Emergency response routing and evacuation
  According to State officials, 10 lives were saved
  in Louisiana by having LiDAR maps during the
  Katrina response

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LiDAR Real Life Applications

• Forest metrics w/ bare earth under LiDAR-derived
  tree classification

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LiDAR Real Life Applications

• 3D Urban Modeling Intensity Images

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References

• www.optech.ca
• www.leicageosystems.com
• www.riegl.com
• http//shoals.sam.usace.army.mil/
• www.airbornehydro.com
• www.3001inc.com

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Thank You and Questions